Hey guys,

I'm trying to get my Comptech sway bar installed this afternoon, but I ran into a little trouble. The nuts that connect the ends of the bar to the stabilizer links are rusted tight. Has anyone had problems with this? I'm cranking on the wrench with quite a bit of force, but it won't move at all. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

Spray with some WD-40 and let it sit for 30 mins or so to losen things a bit.

 

Get a torque wrench at Sears and crank it off. Rust or not it should come out.

 

Torque wrench? Maybe for installing the bolts but definitely not for removing them. A big wrench and WD-40 is all you need.

 

If the nut is rusted tight, then the biggest breaker bar is not going to help you because the bolt with the hex center is going to turn with the nut. You will need to use some penetration oil (WD-40 should work) and let it soak as Dan suggested. Then use a hex key to hold the bolt while use a box-end wrench and the "double-wrench" method for more leverage to remove the nut.

 

More specifically, use 6-point wrenches for better result and prevent rounding off the nut being removed.

 

Torque wrench might be useful at removing since it is longer (hence more torque) but I just used a regular wrench. be sure to get use the kex key also. i just let the hex key rest on one of the suspension link while I remove the nut. I installed the comptech bar by myself.

 

Thanks for the insight, guys. I'll try this out tomorrow morning and let you guys know how it went.

 

you should also consider replacing that nut... they're usually cheap

 

or if its not stripped, at least some anti-seize

 

There are at least two products that are better than WD-40 for the purpose.

The one that is common, and easily found, is Liquid Wrench; usually available at any Auto Parts store.

The second is less common. It is EAS OFF Penetrating Lubricant (aka BD1109) distributed by Barnes Distribution in Cleveland, OH 216-416-7200, www.barnesdistribution.com. It is probably the best. I can buy it locally from the Pontiac dealer. It contains Stoddard Solvent, Kerosene, and fine Mineral Oil. The Pontiac service department apparently uses it on O2 sensors that are frozen; as well as many other applications.

 

So, I managed to find some time tonight to try and install the bar again. I got one side of the bar off without a problem (thanks for the WD-40 tip), but the other side was still not moving. In the end, I stripped off the hex portion of the bolt and now the nut just spins in place with the bolt.

Then, I decided to try and take off the stabilizer link with the rest of the stock sway bar, hoping maybe I can just get it off when I'm not under the car. Well, guess what? That nut was giving me trouble and I stripped that one, too. I now have a dangling stock sway bar on my car and I'm stumped on how to get it off.

I've resolved to take the car to a shop, since I'll have to get the nuts replaced, anyway. Is it safe to drive the car to a dealership or a shop without the sway bar fully connected? Also, the car is still on jack stands. Is it okay for me to leave the car on the stands overnight until I find a shop to take it to? Thanks.

 

damn...good luck with that one. I'd connect the other endlink back up and take it to a mechanic.

 

When my roomate and I were installing last week, I don't know if I'm retarded or what but I didn't see any hex nut. There was just a bolt sticking out of this rubber bushing that ran up to the suspension. I didn't have any wd-40 but I wedged in a pair of needle nose and held on like hell while my roomate turned the bolt. Once it started to come out I switched to a a pair of pliars with some teeth and it come off even easier. It took a bit but it worked.

Before though, the bolt would just spin within the rubber bushing but there was no place to hold it with the hex wrench.

 

There's a hex hole at the end of the bolt. I'm thinking you had a much easier time taking the nuts off because your bolts were not rusted over like mine are. East coast weather sucks. I had to put quite a bit of torque on mine, so I'm pretty sure a pair of pliers won't work in my case.

 

Man, I don't know how I missed those, I had a hex wrench with me from reading online but it seemed that the ends of the bolts were within the bushing. But that was probably my mistake. If it makes you feel better my baby spent the first few months of her life in North Carolina.

 

Mine was completely rusted too. The hex key just ripped right through the allen head, so I had to practically demolish the thing with vice grips just to remove the nut. When it is that rusted, there is no tool that will allow you to do the job without damaging the threads.

Boo to Honda for electing to save like $2.00 and not use galvanized fasteners.

 

ya, I did mine 2 days ago COMPLETELY RUSTED, it took me 20 minutes for each bolt, but it worked out in the end, nothing stripped and it re-installed fine. I had to cover the hex key in 1" pipe to keep it from digging into my hand too much, and I was hurtin pretty bad by the end of removing the bolts, but completely worth it

 

Well, I'm pretty much SOL at this point and I'll have to bring it to the dealer for a new stablilizer link or new bolts at the very least. Without running the risk of stripping more bolts, do you think I can drive to the dealership with the stock sway bar loose back there? It's about a 15 minute drive, I'd say.

 

You're safe. Just dont go taking any sharp corners at 40+mph.

 

it's 53 mph ! Just put the other endlink back on and you will be back to stock, then take it to a mechanic at your leisure.

 

The chop is back.